Time and Again
by Aldrean Treu Peri
Summary: Another multi-part Usa/Mamo-chan story! Yah! Ooh, don't you all just *love* these? I know I do!
1. Let It Snow

**Time and Again:**

**Chapter One: Let It Snow**

She loathed him.  There was a very simple reason why as well.  She absolutely despised him, past the core of her very being for the irritating reason that she was head-over-heels, hopelessly in love with the man.  She loved him with every ounce and fiber of her heart, was bound to him by her soul and was determined to have him for eternity.  But, she wasn't fond of the fact that she liked him so completely, or the fact that her every idle thought turned instantly to him.  Of course, he didn't help the matter by being handsome and totally annoying and smitten.  At least, that was what Sammy claimed, well, him and Andrew and all the girls.  Why should she buy that though when the only words he'd ever uttered to her were insults or retorts to her sharp replies.  Before he'd even known her name – and she wasn't entirely sure that he knew it now, given that he only ever called her Odango Atama – he was making fun of her.  And for some idiotic reason, probably a twisted joke by Kami, she found herself loving that.

            Which was why she found herself fighting an inner battle against the strong urge to run her fingers through his tousled ebony hair.  He looked so alone and lost when he wasn't awake and she wanted nothing more than to mold herself into his arms and sooth his hurts, to ease the aches and patch up their rather rocky – for lack of better terms – relationship.  A few moments ago they had been mortal enemies at best and now he was sleeping fitfully at her side.  Never mind the fact that the fever and gash in his palm probably affected his rational thinking and already tenuous grip on consciousness.  His condition frightened her more than thunderstorms and dentists put together.  Somehow, watching helplessly as he tossed and turned, locked in a nightmare as sickness held him in its clutch made her feel more afraid and worried than anything ever had in her life prior to that.  It was as though her strength had been stripped away and her comfort cast into darkness.

            Finally giving up on reasoning things out with herself, Serena let herself drift on instincts, no longer giving any thoughts to how compromising their situation was as she ran her fingers through his damp hair, cradling his head in her lap with one arm wound beneath his so her palm rested flat on his chest.  She felt every beat of his heart, the warmth from the fever flowing into her.  Her concerned expression melted into a touched smile as he relaxed slightly, the frown dissolving from his forehead.  Regretfully, she raised her hand from his muscular body long enough to gently take his injured hand and check on the make-shift bandage – a length of cloth tore from her school-shirt – and pressed a feathery kiss to the spot on the cloth that lay above the cut in his hand.  Lowering her forehead to press against his – startled for a moment at the burning feel of his skin – she let her fingers of her one hand continue to play through his thick hair while she used her other fingers to trace invisible patterns lightly over his chest.  Her thoughts drifted to the incident responsible for stranding them in the arcade together, alone, after hours with a blizzard raging outside.

**~ FLASHBACK ~**

'_Of all the stupid nights for Luna to need to speak with Central Control, she just has to pick the night of the biggest snowstorm to hit Tokyo since I can remember._' Serena grumbled to herself, shivering as a chill breeze cut through her light jacket.  '_The arcade just closed, I hope Luna's still there.  I swear, when I get my hands on that feline …_' her thoughts trailed off as something ahead caught her eye.  The snow was swirling around furiously, reducing visibility to pathetic at best, but she could still make out a hunched over form beside a streetlight across the street from the Crown Arcade.  Through the howl of the wind and the insulation of the heavy snow, she could hear the person coughing breathlessly and take a staggering step toward her. Clearly sick and probably frozen solid, the figure collapsed to hands and knees on ground and Serena Tsukino's mothering instincts – born into her by her own mother – booted in.

            She raced quickly to the person's side and was stunned momentarily when she recognized Darien's olive green blazer.  He was partially crumpled on the ground, the wind blowing into his bowed head, so Serena crouched down to block the wind's path, reaching out to grasp his shoulders in an effort to steady both him and herself.

            "I don't know what you're doing out here, baka-san," Serena started, slipping under his right arm to help support his weight.  "Especially in that flimsy coat …but I'm going to correct this problem.  You and I are going to take refuge in the arcade, until I can get you home safe and sound." She explained, leading the trembling man across the empty street to the dark arcade.  "Baka," She repeated under her breath for good measure, wishing he would pipe up with an insult at least.  He was very cold, pressed against her like that and she worried even more as they reached the doors, Serena using a trick Luna taught her to gain access – the wind helped by practically blowing them in – and suddenly a dreadful realization struck her.  '_LUNA!_'

                        *                      *                      *

It wasn't a great deal warmer in the arcade, but at least they were out of the snow and chill.  She didn't like how pale Darien was, nor did she miss the constant tremor that ran through his body.  He looked absolutely miserable and more than a little sick.  He was also leaning heavily on her, as though she were the only thing keeping him on his feet, while obviously trying to stand on his own and lighten her burden, but he was swaying on his feet.

            "Hey, c'mon, Darien, do you know where the backroom is?" She asked quietly, referring to a cozy place Andrew had taken her on a particularly bad day – parts of which were Darien's fault – when she hadn't wanted to bawl in front of everyone there.  It was furnished with a relatively new couch with a few cushions and a battery-operated heater.  It'd do.

            Darien nodded numbly, his eyelids drooping dangerously as his movements grew sluggish.  He was stumbling frequently and Serena felt something warm and sticky on her fingers as she took his left hand.  Swallowing hard, her eyes flickered to read the grimace of pain on his face as she slowly turned his hand over in hers to reveal a slash running across the middle of his palm, bleeding profusely.

            "Great Serenity," She muttered, echoing Luna's traditional curse.  "What have you been getting yourself into?" With increasing difficulty, they made it to the backroom – Serena letting him lean against the wall when she had to slip away and retrieve the hidden key to unlock the door – switching on the single swinging bulb before helping him lie down on the plush couch.  "Stay here, baka, I'll find something to drink," She said, feeling the winter stuffiness drying out her throat.

            Darien hadn't said a word up to that point and his silence was beginning to unnerve her just a bit.  Apparently seeing that, he managed to catch her wrist in his injured hand before she could move too far away.  "T …tha …thank you, Odango Atama," He whispered with a crooked grin to let her know that he meant nothing mean by his use of her 'nickname'.

            "Oh, baka," She replied gently as she tenderly pried his hurt hand from her wrist.  "Better get that taken care of before anything else." And she hurried from the room to steal a bottle of water and some cloths from behind the arcade counter.  None of the stupid rags could possibly work as a bandage however she saw as she returned; none could be wrapped and tied securely.  Serena shrugged off her snowy jacket and shivered for a moment as the cold hit her, aware of Darien watching her intently.  Muttering a vague apology to her parents and school, she carefully tore a strip of fabric from the bottom of her already short shirt.  A grievous expression settled over her fair features.

            "It doesn't hurt that much, Odango Atama," Darien said in a half-hearted attempt to lighten the situation.

            Serena managed an apologetic wry grin.  "It will in a minute, trust me."

            "I trust you explicitly." He replied easily.

            The frown returned to her expression.  "I don't know what expliticity means, but I think I'll take that as a compliment." She replied, horribly mangling the word.  She cleared her face of all expression, putting forth a mask to hide behind as she carefully took his hand, using exquisite care to rinse the cut – which was thankfully shallow – and examine it.  "How did you get this anyway, Darien-baka?" She asked.  It was quite plain that even her gentle ministrations were hurting him, just by the tightening at the corners of his eyes and by the way his body had stiffened even before she'd taken his hand.  He may trust her, but he obviously didn't trust himself to relax.  Finishing quickly, she doctored the gash as best she could and tied it with a certain flair of professionalism that came of paying attention in her health class the previous semester of school – she was rather proud of her B+ in the class – and assisting the nurses at the hospital where she voluntarily worked with the children.  With a fluid grace that came of not giving thought to her motions, she pressed a whisper of a kiss to his ouchy and straightened as she rose.

            "It didn't hurt that much, Odango Atama," Darien put in, sounding very unsure of himself.  "Are you cold, Serena?  You're shivering."

            A surprised smile dawned brilliantly on her face.  '_He must beyond frozen and hurt by his hand and yet he still wants to worry about me?_'  Her heart leapt into her throat.  "You must be delirious, Darien, not only do you remember my name, but you just used it and you care about whether I'm warm." Serena replied, flustered and trying poorly to hide it.  "You just lie there while I get the heater started." He was sitting up when she'd finally managed to get the stupid thing to work, his bandaged hand cradled in his hand.  Outwardly he was smiling the same cocky, smug grin that made her want to scream in frustration and kiss him breathless at the same time – she wisely suppressed both irrational urges and looked deeper, trying to see for herself how he really was.  It was very Darien Chiba to put on a brave front coated in ice, but at least the ice wasn't in evidence as she gazed through his barriers, rusted by her compassion.

            His cerulean eyes were clouded, shadowed by fever and, wait …fever?  Serena gasped sharply and moved to his side, laying the back of her hand against his forehead before pulling away with a low hiss.  "You're sicker than a dog!  What were you doing out in that horrid weather anyway?  And where on earth did that nasty cut come from?  It wasn't there earlier.  Haven't your parents taught you any sense at all?"

            Raw emotions smoldered into a fury in his stormy eyes and his jaw clenched.  "Never mind, Odango Atama," He snapped with more force than either expected.

            Serena faltered momentarily, taken aback by his angry tone.  Suddenly however, outrage filled her at his seemingly automatic reaction, as if the man wouldn't let her worry about him!  The nerve of him at times!  She realized of course that she must have said something that riled him up so badly, but just then her concern overrode everything else.

            "What do you mean by that?  I refuse to let this matter settle!  You tell me right now, Darien Chiba, what you were doing outside in your condition with a cut and bleeding hand!  Do you have any idea how scared you made me when I saw you like that?  Doubled over almost in the street and so weak I had to practically carry you in here!  Do you think I wanted to be so worried?  How dare you even think about getting sick and hurt without telling me so I could …" She cut herself off quickly, fully aware that she had almost gone too far, almost suggesting that she make everything all better because of what he meant to her.  For his part, Darien seemed to be either deep in thought or beyond pissed.  He was silent a long moment before looking up.

            "Do you actually mean that?"

            "Huh?" Oh, drat that man!  How could he unbalance her so easily?  "Mean what?"

            A small smile hovered over his face; softening his eyes and making him seem younger than his roughly eighteen years of age.  "Did I really scare you?  Do you honestly have such a large heart that you'd be concerned to the point of fright over someone who has never done more than make fun of everything about you?  Are you really that close to sainthood?"

            She wished he would stop speaking in such long sentences, but she'd caught the gist of his impromptu speech.  "Of course I care, baka, it's not like I could have just passed you by and left you hurt and sick and alone in the middle of a blizzard.  How could I do that to anyone?" She paused and filled again with righteous rage.  "YES, YOU SCARED ME!" She shouted,  "I haven't been that afraid since my mother was in the hospital having my brother!  Don't you ever, EVER, even _think _about doing anything like that again!  If you do, so help me, I'll …I'll …" She trailed off helplessly, unable to come up a good threat to make him take her seriously.

            "You'll what, Odango Atama?" He asked, raising an elegant eyebrow with a half-smile playing on his lips.

            "I'll …I'll …do something really grand!" She finished lamely, blushing furiously as he laughed – actually laughed – at her futile attempts to intimidate him.  She stopped blushing though as quickly as he quit laughing to suck in a breath and double over in a harsh coughing fit.  She shot to her feet and rubbed his back as he regained his breath and panted heavily.  She stooped and snatched up the unopened water she'd taken along with the one she used on his hand and to clean the blood from hers and handed it to him.

            Taking a few long swallows, Darien breathed deeply for a time, bent over still.  He slowly sat up and gave Serena a tight smile as she continued to rub his back lightly.  "Thank you, Serena," He murmured, stressing her name slightly to make her take notice.  She'd have noted it anyway; it was a rare moment indeed when Darien used her actual name.  She leaned her back against a pillow between her slight, slender frame and the arm of the large couch and made her lap as comfortable as possible before reaching out and taking Darien loosely in her arms and pulling him down into her soft lap.

            "Rest now, silly, I don't want to have you scaring me again," She ordered softly, gesturing for him to lie fully on the couch and use her as a cushion for his head.  She was eternally relieved and surprised when he actually complied, letting his good arm hang half off the couch as he bent his other arm at the elbow and rested his bandaged hand over his stomach.  "There, isn't this nice?  Soon it'll be warm and cozy in here, but you just go ahead and sleep now, regain your strength.  You can't even argue properly with me in your condition." She berated gently.

            "As my princess commands," Darien replied sleepily.

            Serena's breath lodged once more in her throat and she lowered herself over his body enough to plant a sweet kiss on his hot forehead.  Worry coursed over her again, but she banished the coiling feeling in the pit of her stomach for a moment to just gaze upon the sheer perfection of man in her arms. 

**~ END FLASHBACK ~**

Darien roused slightly and found himself looking into the face of an angel.  He was propped up against something soothingly warm and he realized with glee that it was her body.  Her almost dry jacket lay over his legs to act as a blanket and he wondered idly when she'd been able to put it there.  His hand was throbbing in sync with his head, but a delightfully distracting feeling rather quickly took his mind from his woes and he realized with a start that Serena was weaving her fingers through his hair, toying absently with the one tuft of hair that refused to stay put and her other hand was drawing invisible patterns on his chest.  He was filled with a strange euphoria, something kindling deep within the ache that had haunted him for his entire life, the dull void within his heart that reminded him day in and day out that something wonderful was missing from his life.

            His breath caught in his throat as he wished this moment could last forever, but then a cough tickled the back of his throat and he had to sit up slightly to cough freely.  Serena was supporting him as he coughed himself out, feeling suddenly light-headed and faint.  He let himself be lowered once more into her lap and was promptly in absolute heaven.  A soft, faint, almost tangible fragrance wafted to him in the peace of the moment, a curious yet lovely mix of vanilla and cherry blossoms and he was looking up at the source of the beautiful smell.

            He read in her eyes a peculiar array of emotions, something like compassion and concern with frustration, bewilderment, benevolence and almost motherly care.  Her honey-gold hair, like spun silk where the naturally curling ends brushed against his face, was pulled up in it's customary Odango style, gleaming in the dull white light given off by the bulb hanging above.  From where he was positioned, the light fixture was almost directly behind Serena, shrouding her in a pale illumination of angelhood that sparkled in her glorious, fathomless, liquid azure eyes.  She was smiling softly at him, her pretty brow unmarred by the frown of confusion reflected in her eyes.  Her eyes …they were like windows into her heart, the gates of her stunning soul.  His eyes drifted down to her sweet lips, glistening in the faint light finding it's way past her slight frame as though she had just applied lip-gloss.

            "Shush," Serena murmured, running one slender index finger from his temple to his chin.  "You should still rest, you need plenty more at any rate.  Would you like me to help you get rid of that headache?"

            Darien blinked at her.  Could she read his mind?  He sure hoped not, there was enough in there about her to make her blush like the schoolgirl she was.  He gulped and nodded in her lap.  Again the smile that rivaled the sun's rays as she took the index and pointer fingers of both her hands and pressed both lightly to his temples, rubbing softly in smooth, even motions that seemed to melt the pain in his head.

            "You're still feverish, but that doesn't mean you're going to get out of answering my questions anytime soon." She announced quietly, flashing him a dazzling smile that stopped his heart.  Did she even know what she did to him?  Dear Kami he hoped not, if she did she'd never look at him again, humiliated beyond all measure that he would even think of her like that.  She evidently didn't hate him – like he'd thought at first – but neither did she love him.  After all, who could love an orphan boy incapable of loving you back?

            A whim struck him from nowhere, a memory of a time when she sang to him in her angelic voice and eased his troubles away.  He couldn't remember whether his mother had ever sang to him, but all of a sudden, the only thing he wanted out of life was to hear Serena Tsukino sing him to sleep.  "Sing for me," He whispered softly, capturing her eyes and holding her shocked gaze for a moment.  Suddenly her eyes cleared and for one second of time he thought he glimpsed pure, depthless love and undisguised relief.

            "As you wish, gallant sir," She replied jestingly, the impromptu title a reply to his earlier slip of calling her a princess.  He shook his head though.

            "I am no sir, I am your knight and guardian." He corrected, giving her another of his half-smiles.

            "Very well," Here she paused.  "Any requests, oh knight in shining armor?" He felt the grief surface in his eyes and choked it back with a jerky shake of his head to indicate no.  If she saw his reaction, she did not note upon it for she came up with a song of her own a few seconds later.  "Here we are, a pretty little lullaby my mother sang to me when I was a baby, well actually it's my version of it but it's really more of a dedication song," She was blushing rosily.

            When she opened her mouth to sing, it was as though a choir of angels were released into her sweet voice, the song of a Siren could not even match hers as her gentle voice flowed through the air like liquid emotion, enveloping him and drowning away all other thoughts as he was lain bare to the lyrics and to the woman who held the power of her song.  She closed her eyes, fully immersed in the melody, her rich voice rising and falling with infinite grace and Darien felt himself being bound to her through her ballad, felt the notes of perfection winding through his being and joining him to her.  She sang:

_Rain, rain, fall today, how much do I have to pray,_

_For clouds to burst and sun to flee, _

_Bestow your liquid cool on me,_

_Rain, rain, fall today, how much do I have to say,_

_If I should die, before I wake, _

_I call the rain my pain to take,_

_Rain, rain, fall today, how much do I have to pray,_

_Shower my skin and tangle my hair,_

_Lighten my heart with misty air,_

_Rain, rain, fall today, how much do I have to say,_

_Rain, rain, take my pain and fall on down to heal me,_

_Rain, rain, fall today …_

            Darien was on the verge of dropping off into another light doze, his thoughts echoing with the sorrowful refrain and the image of himself concocted by Serena's voice when he remembered hearing the tune before, and not just the traditional little version, but a sad one.  He had heard her humming it one day, while she was watching the blue-grey clouds gathering ominously above and not the street.  It was the day that she had started across the street and a car speeding down the road failed to see the red light.  So Darien had the only thing he could have and rescued an angel, tumbling with her a few feet before hauling her to her feet, looking her over like the fate of the universe hung on her condition and clutched her so tightly to him that it seemed nothing would be able to squeeze between their bodies.  And then he had blinked back tears, pushed her away and lectured her for ten straight minutes.  The beautiful tune had slipped his mind like quicksilver.

            "How on earth could someone as bright and cheery as you, and so afraid of storms to boot, come up with a song like that?" He demanded, looking deep into her eyes.  He couldn't exactly help but sink into her amused gaze.

            "Simple." She started.  "I was thinking of you."

            He knew he was gaping, but whether at the fact that she actually gave him any thought during her day or at the fact that she created a teary song to describe him was another matter.  In any case, she gave a silver laugh that tinkled, different from her rich golden laughter of velvet, but pleasant to hear nonetheless.

            "Andrew told me one day when I was hiding under the counter during a rain storm that the wet weather kind of soothed you, rinsed your troubles away," '_Like your heavenly voice?_' He mused wryly.  "And so I came up with that." A thought seemed to occur to her then,  "Oh!  I hope you don't mind it, I mean, it doesn't sound very special and it isn't exactly pretty, plus its not really you, but …"

            He cut her babbling apology (sort of) short with a low chuckle.  "It's fine, Odango Atama, and it does depict me rather well.  I like it."

            Serena looked shocked for a moment.  Then she giggled softly and brushed a kiss against his forehead.  "Thank you, Darien, that's quite possibly the nicest thing you've ever said to me.  Now, time for you to sleep again, we may be stuck in here all night and I for one don't want you to have to shovel us out in the morning still so sick." A command was a command and no matter how much he wanted to stay awake just to defy her, he felt the unmistakable lull of sleep tugging at his awareness and felt her slender fingers return to his temples, massaging away his resistance to the velvety comfort of sleep and her voice lifted again, this time simply in a hum of her song.  He dreamt.

**~ Dream ~**

_The earth was positively glowing in the dusky sky, as alive and vibrant as its prince.  Endymion strolled casually down the walkway of stepping-stones, taking his time to admire the natural fountains and babbling waters wreathed in stones layered with moss and delicate flowers.  He was gradually approaching his destination and it seemed that she had no clue of what was to come.  He invoked the minor powers of his home planet and grew a Moon Lily – known on Earth as a "rose" – out of love and nothingness, adding the slight touches of sparkling dew drops on the crimson petals and the faint yet intoxicating fragrance that had piqued his interest long ago._

_            Serenity stood at ease with her small hands resting on the balcony railing, her glittering ivory dress spilling out past her feet to blanket the marble floor for several inches.  Her silver hair was done up in small buns with twin tresses of excess hair cascading from the buns to hover above the ground.  Even before such an important ceremony she was the absolute image of calm, living up to her name with grace and charm.  Her shoulders were bare, save for twin spaghetti straps connecting to the bodice of her gown, wrapping around her back like a shell that left her back largely bare as well.  It was unadorned save for the silver crescent moons embroidered into the hem and modest bodice.  Even though he could not yet see her front, he knew that she would be crowned with a simple silver band upon which dangled priceless crystals to decorate her pretty brow._

_            He swept up behind her like a shadow and drew her into his sweet embrace, leaving dozens of butterfly kisses upon her cheeks, nose and brow before finally reaching her soft pink lips and giving into his passionate urges, ravishing her ready mouth with his, and feeling her give back better than she got.  They surfaced several long moments later, both breathless and leaning heavily into each other to recover from the kiss.  Serenity's warm arms came up to encircle his neck and she let his strong arms lift her up from the ground until she was nose to nose with him and her bell-like laughter rang out through the gardens, leaving their audience of ladies fawning for the Earth Prince and courtiers battling for the Moon Princess's love swooning in a peculiar mixture of jealousy, longing and peace at the perfection uniting on the balcony above the courtyard._

_            "Well, dearest, are you ready to break a few more hearts?" Endymion questioned teasingly._

_            Serenity gave him her special smile, the one she reserved just for him.  "Just wait until the dinner, love, then we'll really destroy them."_

_            She was totally right.  The feast planned for later that night, in honor of the Spring Solstice of the Moon – falling after the Earth Solstice and upon Serenity's birthday – would be made extra special, as that was when Queen Serenity would announce the betrothal of her daughter to Prince Endymion.  He chuckled in anticipation, earning a gentle slap on the shoulder from his soon-to-be fiancée._

_            "Ah, come now, Serene, you know you'll love it as much as I will," He murmured in response, pressing her forehead to his and managing to ignore the beads between them.  The one thing the trinket did not hide was her ceaselessly gleaming crescent moon – the symbol of her kingdom and family.  The sigil of the Earth was hidden by Endymion's unruly bangs, falling just so over his forehead.  Many times over he had been thankful for the ebony hair, for the vagrant tufts of hair always gave Serenity the chance to brush back his hair and plant a kiss on his emblem before stating in a regal tone – entirely fake behind her smile – that everyone wanted to see it._

_            Serenity did not answer in words, but the mischievous twinkle in her eyes and wicked smile tugging at her oh-so-kissable lips gave her away entirely.  She was his Serene and he was her Endy and they both loved it beyond measure.  It had been foretold long before that the two would someday be joined and they had even had the customary union rituals performed after Serenity's birth, thereby tying the two – though this did not halt the stream of admirers both gathered – and it was only this night, on Serenity's sixteenth birthday that their formal status as betrothed would be announced.  Sometimes even silly customs made Endymion glad to be alive, after all, this triply performed ceremony of eternal bondage – first after the birth of both, then on the sixteenth birthday of the younger of the couple and finally on their marriage – just made him feel closer to his love with each tradition followed through._

_            "It's time, dearest," Endymion noted, seeing how the earth rested in the sky just above the sun, signaling the moment of the solstice and Serenity's birth.  She smiled warmly as dusk fell deeper and the anxious crowd shushed to await her voice.  _

_            "Greetings, people of the Silver Millennium, allow Prince Endymion of the Earth and myself, Princess Serenity of the Moon, to be the first to greet you to my palace on the date of the Spring Solstice.  Following the traditional song, there will be a grand dinner and a ball to last long through the night.  My mother, the Queen, will be present at the ball and dinner, but sadly there was urgent business involving the Council that called her away from this ceremony." Serenity intoned in her soft voice, carried by the magic of the moon to the ears of each and every person gathered below.  _

_            Endymion nodded curtly to the delighted throng and raised a hand for silence.  "My Serenity will be singing the Melody of the Moon tonight for your enjoyment, please give her the respect you would give her mother or any other member of the Royal Court." As if that needed saying, the audience clung breathlessly to every word either uttered and he gave Serenity a reassuring smile, proud of her as always when she responded with a wink.  And then her angelic voice filled the peaceful silence and Endymion felt her song lulling him into pure rapture.  Her voice wound around the world, gathering up every soul and enveloping the universe itself in bliss, dipping and flowing smoothly into one sweet tune, marked by crystalline notes of ecstasy.  If there was one thing the set Serenity apart, it was her voice, but then again, merely everything about her was special._

_"So elegant in the velvet night,_

_So distant in the cold, unearthly light,_

_Sleeping upon silver wings,_

_Bathed in the glow of the moon,_

_A lonely Shepherd boy lost in the world,_

_A love so boundless, exotic and free,_

_Given to but one lost soul,_

_Selene of the Moon in heavenly splendor,_

_Her eternal love resting now and forever,_

_Sad and alone upon her crystal throne,_

_Watching the gentle rise and fall of life,_

_Upon the world below her rule,_

_Forbidden the presence of her one true,_

_A timeless story of love,_

_A never-ending tale of sacrifice,_

_Blood given to hold another to life,_

_As he sleeps on, unaware of her parting gift,_

_A single kiss pressed to his barren lips,_

_The ruins empty now,_

_He dreams on of angels on the Earth's Twin,_

_He dreams of a love he will never again hold,_

_He dreams and dreams and rests securely,_

_Upon the wings of love of the one gone,_

_Of the one finally reunited with her love,_

_In the simple dreams, of a lonely Shepherd"_

_Serenity finished the mournful song with a throbbing note that bled off into the breathless silence that endured for a stunned moment before the gardens thundered with applause.  It was truly a song from the past, of a Queen of the Moon and her soul mate of the earth, and though their love was not allowed they continued to meet in secret until one fateful day when the kingdom of the moon was torn asunder and Selene returned on the cusp of death to press her dying breath to Endymion's lips – for he had been locked in eternal slumber by her hands at the consent of both – and gone on to be with him in the dreams._

_            The Earth Prince had been named after the fabled Shepherd and Serenity's own name was but a variation of the Selene of old.  The melody was but a fragment of the prophecy of their love, yet another secret of the past to ensure their own eternal devotion to one another.  There were not many dry eyes in the throng of people, each having been taken to that magical time by Serenity's song and voice and the people of the Silver Millennium wept unabashedly.  It was a time honored tradition for the Queen of the Moon – or one of the Moon family – to sing a song special to her on the day of the Spring Solstice and her birth (that was another of the peculiarities of the women of the moon lineage: each was born on the Spring Solstice).  _

_            Tucking Serenity safely in his arms, Endymion kissed her deeply and led her into the great Moon Palace for the celebration to follow.  The sounds of joy and elation filled the expanse of the Moon Palace as the Silver Millennium rang in the Spring Solstice and Serenity's sixteenth birthday.  Endymion and Serenity prepared to crush a few hearts that really should have known better – considering all the evidence proving that the Prince of Earth and Princess of the Moon were indeed destined to be together for all time._

**~ End Dream ~**

Serena paused in bewilderment as a familiar yet entirely unknown tune wound its way into her humming rendition of Darien's song.  It was a sorrowful little song she noted and though she could have swore she'd never heard it before in her life, it tugged on the strings of her memory, heart and dreams.  She almost felt horrible, it was as though she should have remembered the song, or at least the words to it, but only the tune came to her and so she settled on humming that quiet, poignant song, hoping that something else would come back to her.  Darien didn't appear to be suffering from any nightmares this time and Serena began to feel a bit antsy.  Besides that, her lower body was beginning to tingle as numbness threatened her mobility.  Being with Darien like that, with him resting peacefully in her arms was all well and good for a time, but no matter how much she wished it could last forever, she _really _did need to get up.  Not just to bring back feeling in her legs either, for she also had to use the bathroom something bad.

            Sighing in frustration, she eased the prone figure in her arms up to slip out from beneath him and set him down as gently as she could manage, smiling in satisfaction at not even having disturbed his sleep.  But almost as soon her warmth faded, a frown marred his forehead and he stiffened in his sleep.  She bit her lower lip in anguish but decided to let him sleep off the bad dream long enough for her to use the bathroom and grab a few more supplies.  She was thirsty and hungry and she knew that he would be when he awoke and anyway she could always pay Andrew and the Arcade back later.

            There wasn't much to choose from in the nutritional area she noticed, while surveying the stash behind the counter after having returned from the bathroom.  Just how she liked it.  Of course, knowing Darien, he wouldn't be happy with just sweets to eat, so she carted off a little bowl of salad protected by Saran Wrap along with her armful of goodies, and returned to the backroom, thoughtfully cranking up the heat.  With Darien in her lap, she'd been much warmer but now that she was off of the couch it wasn't as pleasant.  She tore into a candy bar and nearly inhaled it; followed by a cocoa she'd heated up and set aside the other treats for later. 

            Once the cocoa was gone and her fingers and toes had begun to tingle in response to the heat in the room, weariness descended upon her.  Suddenly, curling up against Darien Chiba seemed like a dream and she rose from her cushion before the heater, stretching out her kinks before moving to his side and lowering herself half on his side and wedged into the space between his – very – nice body and the back of the couch, draping one arm up to toy with his soft hair some more as she laid the other across his chest, having slipped beneath his good arm so it was wrapped securely about her waist.  She just assumed it was her imagination that he had tightened his grip about her and it was only the comfort of being with someone and not alone that melted the frown from his forehead and coaxed him to relax against her slight frame.  Whatever the reasons were, she was in sheer heaven as she drifted off into a very pleasant dream …involving a certain 'pillow' she slept upon.

**~ Memory ~**

He was alone.  He was more than alone this time however, because now the only person he had found to call a friend was leaving him.  He was only six though and he didn't understand why Fiore had to go, he still couldn't ration out why his parents had left him a year and a half ago either.  He'd been stuck in the hospital ever since the accident, with doctors waiting patiently for him to recover his memories – and for a room to open up at the local orphanage.  It didn't seem very fair to the little boy for his parents to die and leave no other family alive and then for his only friend and confident to have to go as well.  It was a terrible thing to be as alone as he was and he didn't want the feeling to go on.  He wanted a normal family, like the ones that went through the hospital every once in a while.

            Hot, salty tears fell from his dark blue eyes, trailing down his cheeks to land on the blanket he was gripping tightly in fists.  He had tried to close himself off after his parents died and that hadn't worked since it only made him cling to Fiore more after befriending the other young boy in the rain.  Now he wasn't sure what to do.  He could just lock his heart away again and refuse to be considerate to anyone, but somehow he could never quite bring himself to hurting the feelings of others, except by being silent and tucked up inside of himself.  His will power was withering rapidly, like a rose in the scalding desert heat and he knew that it would be even harder to say good-bye to Fiore.

            "Today is going to be a wonderful day!" A bright, young voice exclaimed, the voice of a girl child washing over him like the warmth of the sun following a rainy day and he looked up to see a little girl who appeared to be roughly three years old.  She had the prettiest eyes he'd ever seen, a soft blue mingled with a faint violet that would fade as the years passed – most babies were born with violet-blue eyes he noticed in his time here – but they held a special light and innocence that chained his heart to her instantly.  He silently vowed to guard this princess who represented everything he'd ever wanted in life for as long as time flowed.  Her golden hair wasn't very long, although the fact that it was done up in twin buns might have allotted for the absence of some of its golden wealth and the ends curled delightfully, bouncing as she shifted on the balls of her feet.

            Darien sniffled and swallowed hard, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't scare her away.  She seemed like an angel sent from above, a vision in her adorable purple dress with a bouquet of fresh roses in her tiny hands.  He gulped nervously and gave the cheery girl a sad little smile, unable to keep his private grief from his expression.  Her delicate brow wrinkled with confusion and her little button nose scrunched up like a bunny's as she tilted her head to one side, regarding him seriously with the hanging curls bobbing softly.

            "You shouldn't be so sad.  What's wrong?" She asked gently, scooting closer and taking a single rose, by far the best of the bunch, and handing it to him with a small smile.  "Be happy, please?  I'm a big sister today, so don't be sad." She begged.

            The effect of the girl on him was simply amazing.  It tore his heart to see her worried over him and he put more joy into his next smile, a special one just for the little girl.  "I'm just sad because my friend is leaving and I may never see him again.  And my mommy and daddy died a year or so ago and I miss them, and soon I'll have to be put in an awful orphanage." He said, silently reeling at how easily he had confided into her.  She seemed to make all his shields fall away.  He felt the tears burning his eyes again but he didn't want to make her sad on account of him so he blinked them away furiously.

            "It's all right to cry, tears make the heart heal," She told him philosophically.  "Besides, I'll be your family now, and I promise I won't ever leave."  Without warning, she was at his side – as much as she could be anyway with him sitting on the bed with his legs dangling off.  She laid her head on his leg and smiled contentedly, one of her pig-tail curls tucked behind her ear that was resting on his leg and the other tickling her cheek as a breeze blew in from the open hospital door.  She stood there with her head atop his leg as he stared wonderingly down at the girl, surprised to see her eyes closed and a benevolent smile on her slightly parted pink lips.  The eleven roses she still held were pulled up against her chest with on hand and he glanced down to the single rose he held and smiled a true smile.

            A haggard-looking man raced past his room outside, calling out a name with worry:  "Serena!" And he sped by Darien's room, glancing in absently while searching for his little girl.  Darien blinked and looked back down to the angel almost in his lap and then back at the door, forcing back a giggle as the man reappeared in the doorway, his gaze landing upon the child.  "Serena Tsukino!" He barked sharply, relief and happiness lacing his words – obviously meant to sound like a parent's stern warning voice.  The girl however was oblivious.

            The man closed his eyes with parental weariness and sighed softly, looking over to Darien then for perhaps the first time.  Darien read the shock in the older man's face and stifled another chuckle, he imaged the thoughts that must have been running through the father's mind:  'My little baby, still a toddler and already being eyed by boys!'  He didn't even need to look back at the child – Serena – without realizing that she possessed a very rare beauty that manifested itself in her cherubic appearance and that would make her something to truly behold once she grew into her promising looks.

            "Hello there, young man, would you mind terribly if I stole my daughter away?  She's got to meet her little brother after all." The man explained, smiling at him after apparently reaching the conclusion that Darien himself was still too young to be even thinking about girls like that.

            Fear seized his heart in a vise-like grip and choked off the emotions that were stirring in response to being in such close proximity to the angel child.  This was the first time in his life that he had ever even felt whole and now this stranger was going to take that feeling away?  "Ca …can she …say good-bye before you …leave?" He asked in a frightened, small voice.  The man smiled good-naturedly and nodded.

            "She's always skipping off every time I turn my back.  Makes new friends with each passing heartbeat.  She's a sweet little dear and I don't know what I'd do without her.  Of course she'll want to come by and visit come other time.  Don't worry, young man, you won't lose her as a friend." The man said.  "There's not a soul out there that she'd ever forget about."

            Darien nodded numbly as the man lifted his lightly dozing daughter into his arms, shifting to cradle her securely with the roses in one hand.  He smiled again and Serena awoke, her eyes bright and drowsy.  Before her father could stand and leave, she pressed a kiss to the rose Darien still held and then kissed his forehead – able to reach only lifted up in her father's arms as she was.  "Tell your friend good-bye for me, maybe I can meet him when he comes back.  You can give him the rose to remember you by," She whispered and smiled dazzlingly as her father groaned in mock protest, admonishing her in a playful tone to stop eating so much before his back broke, to which she replied with an innocent request of a piggy-back ride.  With shared laughter the pair left, Serena looking back and waving to Darien before leaving.

            Darien sat there for a time, still shocked by Serena's kiss and her words until he remembered Fiore and dashed off to find his friend one last time before he was gone.  Later that same day, after Serena had visited her brother Sammy and gone home with her father to rest for the return trip the next day to pick up her mother and new brother, some people came in to see Darien and transferred him to the orphanage.  Serena stopped in to see him and was down for many more days following when she couldn't learn where Darien had gone.  Both were aching for the presence of each other, but the trials of growing up soon buried the memories and time slipped on.

**~ End Memory ~**


	2. Miracles In The Crown Arcade

**Chapter Two: Miracles In The Crown Arcade **

Serena jolted awake, careful to not interrupt Darien's rest as her mind snapped into awareness.  A problem she had not considered for some time loomed on her thoughts again and now she was silently berating herself for letting her worries for Darien interfere with her primary mission.  She was sure now that Luna wasn't still at the arcade, perhaps the dark feline had never even made it and images of kitty Popsicles filled her head.  There was only one thing she could do however since she couldn't very well leave Darien on his own and the storm was still ferocious out there – she could hear the howling of the wind through the walls and felt a chill as she thought about.  As long as Darien kept sleeping, he'd never suspect anything, but if he woke up …then there'd be some explanations needed.  But the matter was far too important for her to care whether she had to fess up to him that she was Sailor Moon.  Besides, she could always pass it off as a fevered dream he'd had.  That firm thinking settled the matter.

            Not moving from her comfortable position – to make sure he didn't wake she was telling herself, not for any reasons having to do with how much she liked being exactly where she was with him – she activated her senshi communicator and tried to hail Ami first, figuring that she'd be able to track down the stray cat if nothing else.  Ami's fuzzy picture appeared on the screen moments later, the blue-haired senshi of Water looking thoroughly upset at having been woken up in the dead of night.

            "Hey Ames, it's Serena, no, don't transform, there isn't a youma or anything we have to worry about." She greeted in a hushed whisper.  Ami's irritation grew considerably.

            "_Then what, pray tell, are you doing using the communicator?  At this hour?  Is something wrong at your house?  Hey, who's snoring if you're awake?_" Ami questioned, her impressive mind working through layers of sleep.

            "I'm snowed in the arcade with Darien, I came down here looking for Luna because she said something about needing to talk with Central Control, only she isn't here and I don't know where she is.  I was hoping she'd be at your place, or maybe Raye's or Lita's but if she's not then I knew that you could use your computer to search for her.  I can't leave, even if I wanted to." Serena explained.

            Ami blinked tiredly and appeared to snag the first thing she could.  "Luna is missing outside?  And you don't want to leave your mortal enemy to search for her?"

            Serena sighed, for the smartest of the senshi Ami could be incredibly dense when it came to matters requiring thought after waking.  Then again, who was Serena to talk?  "Listen, Ames, I can't leave because A: Darien is really sick and if I left him and something happened to him I could never look myself in the eye again and B: like I said earlier …we're snowed in.  I tried the doors and they wouldn't even budge."

            "_Well, Serena, Luna isn't here but I'll get to looking for her right away.  You inform the others and I'll get back to you as soon as possible, okay?_"

            "Thanks, Ami, we can strangle Luna together once we find her for making us look for her this late in a blizzard." Ami giggled softly, presumably at the image Serena painted and faded out.  "Please, Luna, be at Raye's or Lita's!" Serena pleaded quietly, summoning Raye's drowsy image.  Maybe the priestess would be easier to talk to when she was half-asleep.  "Raye, is Luna over there?"

            "_Huh?_"

            Then again … "Luna, you know, the little black cat with the golden crescent moon on her forehead who likes to hassle me as much as you?  Is she there?  Have you seen her at all tonight?" Serena was aware of a hysterical note in her voice and quickly suppressed it.

            "_No, Serena, I haven't seen Luna all night.  Is she missing?  Where are you? That's not your house!_" Raye exclaimed, instantly alarmed.

            Serena allowed herself a low growl of frustration.  "No, Raye, it's not, I'm in the backroom at the arcade, snowed in with Darien who happens to be extremely sick so I can't leave and Luna is the reason I'm stuck out here at all and now I can't find her and she might be frozen outside somewhere!"

            Raye frowned darkly.  "_That cat …wait a minute, you're with Darien?  All alone?_" There was a brief chortle from the raven-haired senshi of Fire who appeared more than a little sleep deprived.  "_Uh, sorry, Serena, didn't mean to laugh.  Is Luna at Ami's?  Er …Lita's then?  Here, I'll try asking the Sacred Fire, okay?  I'll get right back to you if I find anything._" And then she was gone as well.

            "Lita, you're my last hope, _please _have Luna there." Serena prayed fervently.  Lita answered almost immediately, splatters of batter on her face and a cloud of flour making things hard to see at first, she was also grinning hugely and looking decidedly overeager to battle a youma.  "No baddie, Leets, but I've got another problem," Serena began, rapidly filling the brunette senshi of Storms in on the trouble.

            "_She's not here, Serena, but she might be at your place.  Hey, I can call and ask, okay?_"

            Oh no.  Home.  "Eeek!  No, Lita, you can't, you see, I left after everyone went to bed and if they go looking for Luna they'll check my room first and find out that I'm not there." She sighed heavily, worry now a massive anchor about her heart.  "Raye and Ami are busy looking for her now." She thought frantically for a time and her jaw dropped open.  "Lita, I just had a brilliant idea.  I think I might know where Luna is and if that's the case then you'd be the perfect one to check it out for me."

            "_It's kind of cold and snowy outside, Serena,_" Lita began, looking unsure.  "_But then again, Luna would be out there looking for one of us I'm sure.  Where to, valiant leader?_"

            "Andrew's house.  He works here and he told me earlier that he would be closing up tonight.  He might have seen her and brought her to his house.  He knows that she's mine but I don't think he knows where any of us live and I know that you know where he lives.  Can you check it for me?"

            Lita's face brightened and she nodded curtly.  "_Consider it done, Serena.  __I'll reply as soon as possible once I get there.  Oh, and do you like walnuts or raisins in your cookies?"_

            "LITA!" Serena cried out sharply, remembering Darien an instant later and dropping back to a whisper.  "Chocolate chips of course, not nuts or dried grapes.  But go ahead and make three batches if you want, I'm always open to experimentation when it comes to food.  Thanks again, Leets," She promptly 'hung up' with her friend and settled back to wait anxiously. She could already tell that she wouldn't be getting much more sleep that night, but then Darien was stirring, mumbling incoherently as he slept on, muttering names that were too quiet for Serena to catch.  Jealously flared through her at once, if he was saying the name of some girlfriend or crush …well, she'd just have to do something about that, wouldn't she?

            Moaning softly she eased herself back down into the crook of his arm, resting her head on his muscular chest.  His breath warmed the back of her neck, tickling her as the small curls of hair in back danced against her skin and it wasn't long before the Land of Nod spread before her again and she tumbled helplessly into sleep.  

                        *                      *                      *

Darien groaned quietly, forcing his heavy eyelids to open as his vision swam sickly.  He was freezing cold, well, parts of him were, there was a large section of his body that was quite warm as a matter of fact and he blinked a few times to see clearly what was lying so close to him.  Reality jolted back to him as he saw Serena, deep in slumber and half on top of him, one arm curved around his neck with her hand brushing against his cheek and the other crooked with the hand resting on his chest.  She seemed for the moment to be exactly what her name claimed: serene.  Usually she was giggling and bouncy, full of zeal and joy as she dashed around life.  Surprisingly, he found that having her like this was all well and good, but he missed her cheerful exuberance that blanketed the world day in, day out.  

            "My little bunny, so sweet and caring," He murmured softly, tightening his grip about her where his arm rested around her waist, feeling suddenly protective of her.  He gasped softly as he saw the faint traces of tears on her rosy cheeks and noted the troubled curve of her ruby lips, her nose was scrunched up like a bunny's and her brow was creased as well.  She appeared to be deeply concerned over something …him perhaps?  No, that didn't seem likely, he couldn't seem himself as meaning that much to her.  Her family perhaps, they'd be frantic that she wasn't home.  Yes, that seemed much more like it.  She was just the type of girl who would be worried that others were worried about her and that just made her even more endearing.  Something from his dream nagged at him, drawing him from his speculation of the angel in his arms and he frowned in thought.  She looked a great deal like the child in his dreams …well, his memories to be precise, but that couldn't be …could it?  How likely was it for him to run into the same girl, years later and with the same sort of feelings fluttering in his stomach?

            Serena was familiar, there was no doubt about that, and not just because of their run-ins and flying object incidents, or the curious connection between the girl who promised to be his family and the girl in his arms.  He felt as if he had known her before, long, long before.  She held the key to something within her golden being, and she held his fragile heart in the cup of her tender palms.

            He didn't want to disturb her, but nature had a way of becoming obnoxiously loud when calling and Darien felt that he wouldn't be able to last much longer.  He gently eased Serena fully onto the couch as he slipped off, clutching the doorknob so hard that his knuckles turned white as a dizzy spell nearly brought him crashing to the floor.  He had been feeling slightly off-kilter for several days now, shrugging it off as lack of sleep coupled with one of the bugs going around, but now he wasn't too sure.  He never usually got very sick and to be so weak and reliant upon someone else bothered him.  The fact that he couldn't bring himself to confide in Serena also troubled him, but he didn't want her to know that he had been ill for the past few days when they'd had their customary verbal spars, or that he'd sliced his hand when he stumbled over a hole in the sidewalk and had fallen to his hands and knees, grabbing out at anything within reach and feeling the soft flesh of his hand grinding over a jagged part of the metal railing.  Of course, since that had happened, he hadn't been able to do more than rise up and stagger a few feet further against the weather until he had given up …at which time Serena had come along.  He admitted it to himself easily enough but he felt that admitting it to her would frighten her more than anyone should be frightened.  She had saved his life out there, much longer and he would have stood a good chance of freezing to death, sick as he was, and Serena had been the only person outside.

            Which puzzled him.  What would Serena be doing in the heart of a blizzard after ten at night?  He hadn't asked, knowing that if she told him her reasons, then he'd have to tell her his reasons.  Which was another problem.  He didn't want her to know that he had merely been wandering around since leaving the arcade up until that point.  He was strong and secretive and it was supposed to be him that saved the day by aiding Sailor Moon and her friends in battle, he was the one who was supposed to tease Serena and he was the one who was supposed to be indestructible.  Somehow that made the situation all the worse.

            He teetered sickly back into the room after returning from the bathroom and froze as his stomach rumbled loudly, so noisily in fact that he feared for a moment that it might have woken Serena.  Until he remembered that it was Serena sleeping on the couch, the single girl upon the earth who'd be able to sleep through ragnarok without so much as skipping a Z.  Much to his surprise however, her glorious eyes fluttered open, regarding him drowsily and she yawned delicately.

            "There's …a salad …and some …chocolate …and cocoa by the …heater, …" She slurred sleepily, smiling tiredly as she lowered herself back onto the couch and returned to her dreams.  Darien let out a sigh of relief and realized with irritation that he was trembling again.  Exasperated, he moved to the treats and regarded the salad warily, trying to determine whether the leafy substance would go down well with his personal favorite food – chocolate.  Hunger won out over everything and he quickly ate what food there was and drank the lukewarm cocoa, feeling only mildly content with his meager meal as he debated whether to let Serena sleep on peacefully by making up his own bed with the assorted cushions or to share the couch with the angel.  The latter sounded far more pleasant, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable by having to share, so he wearily rose to his feet.

            And barely stifled a cry of shock as he turned to see Serena sitting up and watching him curiously.  "If you even think that you're going to sleep on the ground, allow me to derail that particular train of thought." She informed him crisply, getting up.  "By the way, you could almost rival me when it comes to wolfing down chocolate." Another pause and she smiled warmly.  "Was the choice of the salad really so poor?  I thought you'd like one, considering how healthy you are …" Was that sarcasm in her voice he detected?  

            His heart was beginning to slip back into his chest, freeing his throat enough to form vaguely audible noises as his pulse slowed down again.  "Y …er …ah …" He tried and slumped his shoulders, admitting defeat.

            Again she smiled, a special smile that he'd never seen her give to anyone else.  "I missed your warmth.  And then your tummy growled." Her pretty little nose wrinkled as she made a face.  "It's cold, you come lie down here and I'll fetch some more blankets and crank up the heat."

            He managed to form a coherent sentence.  "Keep me warm?  Like earlier?" Well …it approached sentence form.  Give the boy that much at least.

            "Only if you promise to stay here this time, Muffin," She replied easily, a crimson blush staining her peaches-and-cream complexion as she bit her lower lip in embarrassment.  "Er …my fault, Darien, never mind," She mumbled, herding him gently to the oversized couch.  For his part, Darien was still a bit too shocked and exhausted to take note of much she said, but his jumbled mind did manage to catch 'Muffin' amidst whatever else she was saying.  She pushed him down onto the couch and made him lie down fully on it again, disappearing for a moment only to return with a few afghans from a closet near the wall and she paused by the heater for a long moment, her indrawn breath a sharp hiss.

            "Ah, lie down, Darien," She ordered, her voice strangely tense and her posture rigid.

            "Call me muffin again, little bunny, I like that," Darien mumbled, barely registering as she wrapped him up in the blankets before gingerly lowering herself back into the crook of his arm.  Once positioned there however, he summoned the rest of his strength to hold her close and inhaled the soft cinnamon scent of her hair …not a perfume fragrance, for her perfume was vanilla and cherry blossoms, but maybe just cinnamon as in the spice?  Yes, she must have been baking with her mother earlier; either that or her shampoo was cinnamon.  Whichever reason it was, he found it delightful, but then again everything about her rang pleasingly in his heart.  He wondered idly what it was that caused the sudden change in her behavior and then his thoughts recalled the fact that she had covered him with all the blankets, saving none for herself.  Concern for his guardian angel and secret love mounted in his heart, but fever stole him away to slumber once more and he knew no more. 

                        *                      *                      *

The persistent beeping of her senshi communicator wrested Serena from her turbulent thoughts some time later as she lay shivering atop the afghans covering the man she loved.  Working past cold and weariness, she answered the call to see Raye's face appear on the tiny screen.  She looked troubled to say the least, no trace of hope glimmering in her soft violet gaze.  "Well?" Serena asked, trying to not let her teeth chatter.

            "_No luck.  Maybe Ami has something.  Sorry, Serena." Raye said, her words hanging ominously in the air like the chill winter.  Raye frowned again and peered through the viewscreen.  "__Is there any heat there?  You look frozen yourself, are you and Darien all right?  Should we try to get to you guys?" She demanded with concern evident in her tone._

            "No thanks, Raye, I couldn't be responsible for losing you guys outside as well.  As for the temperature here, well, I've got Darien covered with blankets and that ought to hold him over till the worst of this blows past and we can get out, but the heater's battery wasn't too charged so I'm afraid that we've got no more instant warmth.  I've got everything under control though, so don't worry about sending us any fire." Raye looked unconvinced but chose to drop the matter as her image winked away.  Serena let out a breath, half-afraid that it would mist in the air, but thankfully it wasn't that cold yet.  She retrieved her somewhat dry jacket and pulled that on to stay partially warm.

            She was really worried about Darien.  Given his weakness and cold, she wasn't sure how long he'd make it in freezing weather even piled under blankets and with her warmth bleeding through to him.  His forehead was burning up still, yet he complained of being cold as he dreamt on, lost in a world of ever-shifting shapes and reflections.  He was tossing and turning beneath the blankets, the bandage on his hand loosening as he moved in his sleep.  She screwed up her courage and bit down on her lower lip until she drew blood and then winced in pain, reaching out to hold his injured hand within both of hers and took a deep breath, praying to let him keep sleeping.

            She slowly untied her makeshift bandage and let her breath out in a hiss – she was doing that often – and averted her eyes.  There was still a bottle of water within the room and she used it to rinse the wound again, reversing the bandage so the clean side would be against the gash.  Darien made a noise similar to a whimpering as she worked, quicker this time, as she knew how to go about her work more productively.

            It was getting to be dangerously cold.  She moved her hand to check his temperature again, pressing the back of her hand to his forehead.  His forehead was still hot and she instinctively moved her hand to cup his face in her palm.  His skin was clammy and cool, flushed with fever yet strangely void of the heat of his forehead.  Somehow she knew that it was not a good sign.  There was nothing that came readily to mind that she could do however, except perhaps leach advice from Ami.

            Swallowing nervously, she pressed a light kiss to his forehead, brushing his playful bangs from his sweat-dewed skin and activated her communicator again.  "Ames, I really need some medical help here," She said the minute Ami's face appeared on the tiny screen.  "We never covered fever and stuff in health last semester and Darien is really, _really not doing well.  Wait, first, did you find anything on Luna?"_

            "_She's not near enough for me to help her if that's what you mean, but from what I've gathered, she's still in good condition, by which I mean that her signal on here is still strong.  That's all the good news I can give you for her, now, tell me exactly what Darien's symptoms are," Ami ordered._

            "Umm …let's see, he has a fever and his forehead is burning up but the rest of him is cold and clammy.  He seems really exhausted and he sliced his palm earlier and I think that isn't helping too much.  He's also very weak …and he has a constant tremor and racking cough." Serena explained and paused, biting down on her lower lip nervously.  "Plus the heater died and I don't think that the blankets will help for much longer.  I'm really worried, Ames, I've never seen him like this!"

            Ami wasn't quite looking at the screen and Serena heard the rapid typing in the background.  "_Hey Serena?  I'm going to go wake up my mom and check with her.  I've got to let you go but I'll get right back to you.  For now …just let him sleep I guess." With that, Ami was gone again._

            But Darien was stirring in his sleep, vague words spilling from his lips as beads of sweat stood out on his forehead as he started breathing rapidly, shifting beneath the blankets.  He was having a nightmare.  Serena wanted to wake him up and take him in her arms, brushing back his hair and soothing him with whispery words that she was there and he wasn't alone, she wanted to end the nightmare and take away his fever and suffering, wanted to make the world right for him.  He didn't seem like a conceited jerk when he wasn't awake …in fact, his face took on a boyish look, complete with trampled innocence and a forlorn, helpless quality that reminded her of someone or something …like a figment of the past buried in shadow.  Ami had told her to let him rest for now though, and she didn't want to wake him if it turned out that he needed the sleep, but the option was dwindling fast and he gasped in his sleep and clenched his eyes shut, almost panting as a single crystal tear escaped his closed eye and made a salty trail down his cheek.

            She could stand no more and moved to wake him when the first word that she could actually understand froze her.  "Serena." He had called out her name, as though in desperation, with fear and grief tainting his voice and he drifted back into the senseless mumblings.  Then she was at his side, kneeling on the cushions beside the couch and placing her small hands on his shoulders, starting when he jumped at her soft touch, as though he was unfamiliar with such treatment, and gently shook him, repeating his name in quiet, gentle tones as she bent close.  When it became obvious that such a delicate approach would not banish the horrors of his sleep, she took a determined breath and shook him harder, ordering him to wake with a steely tone that bespoke of royalty and did not merit trifling with.

            His dark blue eyes opened, clouded by fever and seemed to regain a touch of the turbulent color that seemed so familiar and he stopped struggling, breathing softly and murmuring her name again.  Serena let out a sigh of relief and threw herself into his arms, careful of his cut and hugged him tightly, hot tears burning down her face and soaking into his shirt and the blankets.  "You frightened me again, Darien Chiba!" She sobbed openly, allowing her worry to leave via the tears.  "Promise me that you'll stop doing that!  Promise me that you'll wake up when I tell you to the first time!  Promise me that you'll take better care of yourself!" She commanded, her voice shaky.

            And then his arms were around her, weakened still but granting her reassurance as he whispered his reply into her hair.  "I'm so sorry, Serena, please don't cry!  I promise I won't scare you again if I can at all help it and I promise I'll stay healthy, just please stop crying!  Your tears make me feel so helpless because I can't make them stop, please don't cry, my little bunny!" He said, holding her tighter than she was holding him.  Her heart swelled within her chest and for a moment she dared to believe that he actually held some feelings for her …but then logic reasserted itself and stomped about making excuses for why he could never, would never love her in return.  "Thank you, bunny, thank you for waking me up."

            "Oh, Darien!" She exclaimed, weeping again though she wanted to stop.  She could practically feel his wretched guilt over being the cause of her tears and being unable to ease them.

            "No one has ever been there to wake me up before, Serena, thank you," He continued.  Dreadful awareness flooded his cerulean gaze as she risked meeting his deep eyes and he gaped at her for a moment.  "You're freezing cold, Serena!" He noticed, sounding at once accusatory and stricken.

            "I'm sorry, Darien!" She yelped, trying to break from his embrace.  "Oh, I just wanted to keep you warm and the heater broke down and we're still stuck in here and …" He cut off her rambling with a finger pressed to her lips and shook his head.

            "I will not allow you to freeze yourself worrying about me." He announced.  "You will climb up onto this couch and share these blankets with me and we will ignore the fact that the heater couldn't have picked a worse time to go out." He paused and looked down at her wistfully.  "Didn't I ask you to keep calling me 'muffin'?  Whatever happened to that?"

            Serena took a shuddering breath and let tears of relief and hope stain her cheeks before rising and slipping into the cocoon of warmth that came of being pressed against Darien's body and being wrapped in several blankets.  Again his arm worked its way around her waist and pulled her close protectively and she snuggled closer, resting her head on his shoulder and wrapping her free arm – the other one she was lying upon – to reach up and act as a pillow for him.  She felt once more the ache of exhaustion tingling at the edge of her awareness and resolutely ignored it.  Darien was already close to falling off into sleep again and she had to wait for Ami to contact her again …and if Darien was still awake then, she could still pass it off as a delusional dream.

            "Good night, my little bunny," Darien murmured, letting heavy lids fall again as he smiled down upon her.

            Serena felt herself fill with inexplicable warmth again and trailed a finger from his temple to his jaw, tracing over a faint scar on his jaw line.  "'Night, Muffin," She replied and settled in to wait.

                        *                      *                      *

Darien took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet fragrance of the angel child in his arms.  She lay dozing upon a blanket of her honey-gold hair that spilled over to him as well.  She was in his mind that absolute symbol of perfection, from her bunny nose to her tiny waist and the telltale promise filling out her form as she grew.  A persistent chirping had interrupted his sleep and he blinked, trying to banish the lingering fuzziness in his head as he searched for the source of the noise.  It sounded to be very close to his ear …a watchband adorning Serena's slender wrist to be precise.  Puzzled, he touched it, intent upon shutting the alarm off before it woke Serena, then he realized that it was more than just a watch …in fact, it wasn't a watch at all.

            A familiar looking girl appeared on the crackling screen, looking anxious and a bit surprised.  Darien struggled for a moment to clear his mind and come up with a name, remembering that she was one of Serena's friends.  "Ami Mizuno?" He asked unsurely, wanting to clarify that he was in fact seeing the blue-haired genius on the face of the watch that wasn't a watch.

            "_I …er, uh, Darien Chiba …" Ami started.  "__Is Serena there?  No wait, that's a stupid question, it is her wrist communicator after all …er …ah,"_

            "Yes, but she's asleep right now.  I'm beginning to believe that I am as well."

            Relief drowned out the confusion on Ami's face.  "_Oh.  I see.  Wait a minute, she's asleep?! Wake her, Darien!  Wake her right this instant!  You can't let her fall asleep!  It's too cold for her to sleep and you've got to stay awake as well!" Ami ordered frantically.  "__Wake her up, Darien!"_

            Darien frowned.  It wasn't cold; it was nice and warm with Serena lying so near – practically on top of him – with the blankets tucking them in nicely and the heater on.  His brow furrowed deeper …the heater wasn't making the soft noises it always made when in use …did someone fix it?  He'd never seen Ami so agitated, nor so scared, when Serena had fallen asleep before.  He was caught in agonizing indecision: to wake Serena, who appeared to be dreaming peacefully, or to let her rest further.  He didn't know why Ami was so intent on having Serena up, but he felt as though he should have known …if there was a risk in letting her sleep …but what harm could come of sleeping like a baby?  She didn't look as though she were locked within a nightmare; in fact, she appeared to be on Cloud Nine.

            But Ami noticed his indecision and spoke up sharply.  "_I need her to wake up, Darien.  You have got to wake her up.  She can't sleep right now, it isn't safe …if you don't wake her up, she might sleep forever.  I'm not sure exactly what prolonged exposure to chilly temperatures could do to a sleeping person, but she needs to be awake."_

            "The heater …" He started.

            "_Is broken.  Serena told me that earlier, she said that she didn't want to worry you.  Blankets and shared body heat can work for a time, but without the heater, I would not advise sleep for either of you.  Please, Darien, wake her up.  I need to speak with her as well."_

            Darien sighed deeply, still feeling vaguely unsure of himself.  He lightly shook her shoulder.  Ami sighed as though in frustrated amazement and Darien looked at her sheepishly, remembering with clarity exactly who lay more or less atop him.  He sat up awkwardly, his back twisted like a C so that his lower half was still more or less prone and he gently kissed the corner of her mouth before resolving himself to disturbing the beauty rest – as if she needed any – of his angel.  He tweaked her nose, he tried telling her to get up, he tried shaking her again and he tried offering chocolate and other treats.  She was mumbling vague responses with words like 'Luna', 'mother', and 'just five more minutes' after some of his attempts.  Finally, Darien decided that he would need to have more mobility in order to wake her, so he eased out from beneath her and stretched – almost falling backwards onto her as the blood rushed through his body and his weakness felt the urge to come into force again – when she made a soft groan of discomfort and started to toss about in her sleep.

            Darien watched with mild fascination.  He knelt beside the couch and rested his good hand on her shoulder, brushing some of her hair from her face and watched as she relaxed and slept easier and then he moved away and observed her reactions again.  She frowned in her sleep and moved about a great deal, leaving Darien to wonder if she usually slept with a stuffed toy or pet that kept her from turning all night.  It was when he had retreated to the heater that she awoke, muttering groggily and pushing herself up before arching her back like a cat and twisting to crack her spine.

            She blinked sleepily at him – something he found irresistibly adorable – and yawned tiredly, apparently about to voice some objection when she noticed the wristband and Ami's face.  In just under the span of a heartbeat, she was wide-awake and sputtering with half-words as she attempted to hide the device from him when Ami's clear voice cut in.  "_Never mind that, Serena, I've spoken with him already." From what he knew of Ami Mizuno, Darien would have ventured a guess that she was preoccupied with something as she spoke._

            "Uh huh." Serena replied numbly.  She blinked again and seemed prepared to drift back into that post-wakefulness world that she'd been in, apparently sensing crisis averted when she seemed to be pulled back to reality by her thoughts.  "What's your professional diagnosis, Dr. Mizuno?" She asked in a little singsong voice.

            "_Not good, Moon," She started and promptly blanched.  It appeared as though Ami forgot that they weren't communicating as scouts.  "__Er …mom says pneumonia is most likely.  I sure hope not however, if so he probably needs to get to the hospital as soon as possible.  Pneumonia is a very serious sickness, an inflammation of the lung tissue that is recognized by fever, chills, shaking, a severe cough and weariness.  Sometimes people have to get their lungs cleared of the mucus and most people ought to see their doctors about it.  I need to know how long Darien's been sick and what he's done about his illness."_

            Serena's eyes narrowed as she remembered the information she had attempted to glean from the aloof older man earlier.  She repressed a sigh and turned to regard Darien who was swaying near the heater.  "DARIEN!  GET OVER TO THIS COUCH RIGHT NOW!  YOU CAN BARELY EVEN STAND UP!  I WILL NOT LET YOU GET EVEN SICKER ON MY WATCH SO GET OVER HERE NOW AND REST!" Serena hollered as imposingly as she could.  Darien winced.  Fighting the urge to drag him bodily to the couch she rose and slipped under his arm, forcing him to stand and then supporting the majority of his weight as she gently guided him back to the impromptu bed.

            "Ami …said that we shouldn't go back to sleep.  We may never wake up." Darien mumbled as Serena eased herself down at his side, still snuggled up beneath his arm and positioned herself like a pillow again, all the while giving him a hard look.  Resigned to his pleasant fate, Darien allowed himself to sink down into the soft cushioning of her clothes and warm, supple body.

            "Now, before we do anything else," Serena began in her normal sweet voice.  "How long have you been sick?  How did you cut your hand?  What medications if any have you taken for your cold?  Have you seen a doctor?  Is there anything I can do for you?" 

            Darien silently reeled at this slight angel who commanded so much from him without even noticing.  She wasn't even aware that she had him wrapped so tightly about her little finger that circulation would have been impossible.  She had spoken in that same soft tone lathered with royal undertones.  Just as he could not ignore the call of Sailor Moon or the duty assigned him by his dream princess, he could not do anything less than answer her questions and even as he lay in her lap he had to wonder why he even tried to keep it from her earlier.

            "I've been sick …for about a week …probably just under." He said quietly, brow crinkling as he attempted to best respond to her inquiries.  "I sliced my hand after I left the arcade today when I stumbled and tried to catch myself, but the only thing within reach was a jagged chunk of metal that must have been a part of the railing.  I haven't taken any medications or seen any doctors.  And there's nothing I want right now that isn't right here in this room."

            Serena flushed almost instantly and regarded him with wary eyes, letting a slight smile grace her face as she clearly battled some inner doubt to trusting his words.  "Oh." She finally murmured, one hand absently moving to run through his silky ebony hair when the wristband gleamed in the light and she stiffened again.  "Hey Ames, did you catch all that?"

            Ami did not reply for a long moment and Darien really wished that he had the energy to get up and read her expression.  "_Things aren't looking that great, Sere, I think he has pneumonia and it sounds like a bad case.  You guys need help soon.  It isn't good for you both to be awake in such cold weather, but if you fall asleep it'd be worse and I really want my mother to check up on Darien.  Unfortunately, I can't go anywhere with this storm." Ami sounded highly distressed._

            "Oh Serenity," Serena whispered softly, her eyes widening suddenly.  "Ami, I need you to get a hold of Leets, I sent her to find Luna at Andr …er, I sent her to see if Luna was at our friend's house.  If I knew the weather was this bad I never would have asked her to go out there!  Oh no, what if she catches cold, Ami?  What if she gets stuck out there all alone?" Serena sounded almost frantic by this point.

            "_I've got it covered Moon," Ami replied.  Again Darien noticed her slip and frowned.  "__Just hang on until morning and we'll come get you two out." He heard the clasp catch on Serena's communicator and felt her wilt beneath him._

            "Oh, Darien, what have I done?" She breathed.

            Not quite knowing how to answer her, Darien did the only thing that made any sense to his befuddled mind and brought his arms up to pull her close and held her awkwardly as she rested against his chest, tears collecting on his shirt and pooling through to drip against his skin.  He held her close and silence of the heart reigned.


	3. White Christmas

**Chapter Three: White Christmas**

"Darien?" Serena asked in a small voice as she curled up closer to his body.  Darien breathed a sigh of thanks as he roused himself, he'd been right on the verge of dropping off into sleep again.  He still wasn't about to make sense of the conversation earlier, involving Ami on a watch, mostly because he felt it was a dream.  Possibly a warning, after all, it could have been his subconscious reminding him of the dangers involved in sleeping with no heat, but then …why had it asserted itself as Ami Mizuno?  He winced as another headache set in, brought upon by too much idle speculation.

            "Yeah, Serena?"

            "I'm cold."

            "Just hang on, Sere, it'll be morning soon." He replied.

            She shifted and Darien felt a cold breeze assault the area where she had lain, only to feel her warmth work its magic on another area.  She nestled her head beneath his chin, her arms pressed against his chest.  "I'm sleepy too, Darien." She giggled softly.  "You know those all-night slumber parties where you're not supposed to sleep a wink until the next night?"

            Having never heard of such a thing but wanting to hear her voice he said yes.  She propped herself up so she was staring into his eyes and frowned, obviously deep in thought.  "What, Serena?  Do I have chocolate on my face or something?"

            She made no noticeable response to 'chocolate' but her eyes did sparkle as a satisfied smile found its way onto her face.  "Don't worry, Darien, I'll bring you to one of those parties someday soon, then you'll know what I'm talking about." She announced decisively.  Darien started and she peered down at him, worry on her features.  "Oh gosh, Darien, I'm so stupid!  I'll bet you wouldn't want to attend one of those dumb things anyway; I could never stay awake through any of them.  I didn't mean to embarrass you, Darien, it's okay if you don't want to."

            "Huh?" Her thinking had him off balance.  "What are you talking about, Sere?  I never said that, it honestly sounds like fun.  I was just surprised that you knew I was lying."

            A look of relief washed over her face and she pressed her forehead to his chin, her honey-golden bangs tickling his lips.  "Oh that was easy, Darien.  I may not be smart or graceful or pretty or a good cook but I am good at one thing.  I have always been able to tell when someone was lying, it's like, umm, well, take just now for example, it was like your heart was lain bare with the truth seared in your voice, beneath the words."

            Darien blinked at her, amazed and angry.  Amazed that she had such a command of words when she wanted to and at her special talent and angered that she didn't think that she was pretty, smart or graceful – he wasn't sure whether or not she could cook so he wasn't about to fight with her over that, but as for the other things she mentioned …  He used his good hand to cup her chin and lifted her face so he could look her straight in the eye and let her know the truth.

            "Now you're the one who is lying." He murmured.  Her eyes widened with bewilderment and a frown marred her delicate brow.  "You are intelligent, Serena, you just aren't applying yourself.  I've been the brunt of some of your little speeches before," It was his turn to look puzzled as she blushed furiously and looked anywhere but straight at him, undaunted he went on,  "so I know that you are smart.  Maybe you just need some extra help in other subjects, and if so, I'd be glad to tutor you." He smiled as her gaze rose to meet his again.  "And even though you can be a klutz, I know you can be graceful because I've seen you dancing in the rose gardens at the park."

            "You _saw that?!" She asked, her cheeks rosy once more._

            "Well, I had followed you to apologize because I'd been extra snide earlier." He gave her a quirky grin.  "And I don't know how you can possibly think of yourself as anything less than gorgeous.  You _are pretty, beautiful, no, no, a fallen angel even, and if someone couldn't see that, they'd have to be blind or dead." He was relatively sure that if her face remained as flushed as it was, she'd be as bright as a rose for life._

            "You …" She trailed off, blushing harder and sounding as timid as a toddler missing its parents.  "You …actually think that _I'm pretty?  I mean, I know that Ami is one of those bashful beauties and Raye is like one of those stunning goddesses and even Lita is like Eve, if not an Amazon lust-object," She faltered and looked down at his shirt.  "Promise not to tell?" She whispered suddenly._

            Confused and wanting to set her back on the right path he merely nodded.  She let out a happy little sigh then.  "Greg, Chad and Ken said that about them.  Those three are totally sprung over them …" She gave another sigh, this one wistful and closed her eyes.  "I wish someone could love me that much,"

            Darien felt it was time to interrupt.  "Serena, haven't you been listening?  All of your friends, while talented and good-looking in their own ways have absolutely nothing to stand against you.  You're like a radiant queen, well maybe just a blossoming princess right now, but you have just so much beauty!  Not just inside either, but outside as well.  You're just so modest and unassuming about it that you don't see all the girls longing to look like you and the guys falling at your feet."

            She snorted.  "More like I fall at their feet."

            Darien was crushed to hear her say that, did she really think so low of herself?  But then again, he hadn't exactly tried to diffuse that by teasing her all the time …guilt spread over him like the chill in the air.  "Serena.  Look at me." He paused and gulped, too far now to back down as her glorious eyes met his.  "If there is one thing you'll never have to worry about, it's being jealous at your friends for having guys tailing them.  Not just because of the ones fawning over you, but also …because …because I, that is …Serena, I …I love you."

            There.  He'd said it, now he just had to wait to see her reaction.  He was afraid to meet her eyes so he stared down at nothing, quietly shattering with every heartbeat that passed without her responding to his declaration.  Then she did something entirely unexpected: she crumpled against him, weeping softly and clinging to his shirt as she cried.

            "Sere …Serena?  Are you all right?  Maybe I shouldn't have said, …" No, he stopped himself, he wasn't going to take that back, no matter how much she hated him.  She had to know and now he wouldn't deny it.

            "Oh, Darien!" She wept, looking up at him through teary eyes.  "You have no idea how much I've wished and dreamed and prayed that you could like me!" She cut herself off with a fresh bout of tears.  "I know that you don't really like me, even though I want to believe that it's the truth, but you're running a fever and probably aren't even aware of what you're saying.  I would never hold you to that, because …because it just doesn't seem possible."

            "Serena." Darien said softly, demanding her attention.  "I really don't know how to ever make it up to you, I never wanted you to think that I hated you because I _have loved you, since you first bopped me in the head with your test paper and I still love you and I don't think I'll ever be able to stop.  There are only two things I can think of to prove to you that I never meant to be your enemy."  He took a deep breath, steeling himself.  "First, I can tell you why it's so hard for me to really open myself up to people and why I lashed out at you even though I cared for you."_

            "Darien," Serena murmured softly.

            "Hush now, just listen," He admonished.  "In all my life, as far as I can honestly remember, I've never truly had love, no one had ever loved me and I couldn't remember loving anyone else.  I'm saying this because I know my parents must have loved me, and I must have loved them but they died a long time ago, before I was six in a car accident to which I lost my memory.  I spent a few months in the hospital where they hoped I could remember something while I healed and while they searched for any living relatives I might have had.  They found none." He paused in his narrative, eyes brimming with tears as he thought back.  "Shortly thereafter I lost the only two friends I had made since the deaths of my parents, my friend Fiore and a little girl who gave me a rose and who promised to be my family.

            "After Fiore left and before the little girl could come back to visit I was placed in the orphanage.  It wasn't as bad as most people think, the children mostly kept to themselves, only bursting with life when prospective adults came along.  I still wanted my parents, not some strangers and so I stayed hidden during as many visits as I could, but I didn't really have to since the adults liked children who could remember their childhoods.  And so I grew up there, never really making friends with anyone except the rose bushes within the orphanage grounds.  

            "I worked with the roses when I wasn't studying or playing with the neighborhood cats and eventually it was time for me to get out into the real world and start my formal education at Azabu where I met Andrew.  He helped me find and purchase my apartment and …he was there, I guess, whenever I needed someone to talk to or vent my steam on and he's the only other person besides you who I've told this to.  I made friends with only a few other people at school, mostly some guys Andrew and I study with and then I found a new steam valve.  Instead of letting you into my heart, I put up the old shields and vented my anger and frustration on you.  I don't think I could possibly be more sorry for how I treated you."

            Serena was pensive in his lap, silent tears flowing down her face as compassion and understanding shone in her eyes.  "I'm so sorry, Darien," She paused and started to cry harder.  "I broke my promise!  It's not just that you had to grow up all alone, but also because _I am part of the reason why you had to grow up alone.  I said I would be your family, but then I left and you were gone and daddy tried to help me find you, but …but, and then I gave up!  Oh, Darien, please forgive me!"_

            "I was right," He whispered into her hair as Serena buried herself in his arms.  "You _were the angel child.  Of course I forgive you, Serena, but only if you forgive me." He halted and then continued, albeit shakily.  "And don't pity me."_

            Serena pushed herself back up to look down upon him.  "You are one of the strongest, most self-assured people I have ever had the fortune of knowing and believe me Darien, what with all the admiration I had for you, there is no possible space for pity." She started to continue, stopped herself and tried again with no more luck.  Finally mustering her courage she met his eyes again.  "What was the other thing?" She inquired softly.

            Darien felt as though all of heaven had been opened up to him and he used his good hand to bring her closer.  "This," He breathed and kissed her, gently but with determination, momentarily surprised when Serena responded by deepening the kiss into one of smoldering passion.  Finally breaking off, Darien looked deeply into her eyes, offered his characteristic cocky grin and asked,  "Does that prove anything to you?"

            Serena blinked dazedly and let a smile lit up her face for a moment before capturing him in a kiss to rival the one they had just shared.  Darien's mind was in orbit.  If the first kiss had been heaven, then this one must be empyrean and he loved every second of it.  Some annoyingly logical part of his brain seemed certain that his euphoria was due to the lack of oxygen but his heart told him otherwise and for once – though around Serena he'd started to do it more often – he listened to his heart instead.

                        *                      *                      *

The snow was piled high all outside, the roads closed until the plows could come by, but the three sailor suited girls had no trouble navigating the slick winter wonderland as they rushed to the arcade.  The doors were a bit of a problem for a moment until Jupiter used her powers to short out the doors and pushing them open with Mars's assistance.  Mercury held in her arms the almost-frantic black-haired cat that had been most of the cause of the trouble.  They closed the doors behind them and hurried to the backroom.

            "They're asleep," Jupiter noted, checking the pair on the couch.  "Mars, we need some heat.  Mercury, they're going to need to get to the hospital to be checked out." 

            "Stand back," Mars ordered.  "_Mars Spirit Embrace!" She whispered, holding her hands out from her sides with the palms facing up.  A soft crimson glow started to spread from the tips of her fingers, bathing the room in tepid warmth.  "There," She noted, sounding satisfied.  "This should keep them warm until we can get them to some help." She said, looking at the ruby auras surrounding her friends.  "Best of all this will only be visible to scouts."_

            "Good job, Mars." Jupiter complimented.  "Come on, you take Serena and I'll get Darien." The Sailor Scout of Mars nodded and gently scooped the golden-haired girl into her arms, letting Mercury scan her over quickly before heading out the door and taking the distance to the hospital in leaps and bounds that came naturally to the scouts with Jupiter, Darien in her arms, at her heels and Mercury bringing up the tail.

                        *                      *                      *

Raye, Ami, and Lita waited nervously in the cafeteria of the hospital, awaiting word from Ami's mother, Doctor Marie Mizuno, on the condition of their friends.  Ami was flipping through a health magazine without actually looking at the pictures or reading the articles while Lita stirred the bland hospital food and Raye sat with her eyes shut and hands clasped together, attempting to reach past her worry in meditation.

            "Girls?" A soft voice called.  They all broke from what they were doing to look up to Marie.  "Serena is fine, she's sleeping right now in one of the recovery rooms upstairs.  She seems all right, given the ordeal and her body temperature should be returning to normal shortly."  She paused and frowned.  "Darien Chiba is another matter however.  I bandaged his hand and it shouldn't cause any problems, but he seems exhausted and his immune system is very low.  I think, but I can't be sure until I get the blood tests back, but he may have pneumonia.  For some reason, he wasn't responding to our sleep inducers and we finally just put him in the room with Serena since it appears that her presence is somehow a reassurance to him."

            "What?" Raye gasped.  "Darien needs Serena just to sleep easy and recover?"

            "I've seen this before.  Sometimes people just react better if they're in the presence of loved ones, or if they have familiarity nearby.  One little boy suffering from leukemia wasn't reacting positively to his chemotherapy until the hospital okayed his puppy to stay with him and then he miraculously recovered."

            Raye seemed lost in thought as Marie led them to the room.  "It _does make sense, but why would Darien only react like this to Serena?  They hate each other." Lita thought aloud.  "Well, he hates her, Serena has a crush on him." The tall brunette amended.  Ami shared a glance with her mother and shrugged.  The girls had powered down before bringing Serena and Darien inside and had sent Luna back to Serena's house, as pets were generally not accepted inside the hospital. _

            The raven-haired priestess nibbled on her lower lip thoughtfully as Marie opened the door and let the girls in before politely excusing herself.  Ami hung back by Raye as Lita moved forward to check for herself on her two friends.  Serena stirred in her sleep as Lita clasped her hand but made no other signs of waking anytime soon and Darien seemed just as oblivious in his bed, monitors nearby confirming the status of both and beeping reassuringly.

            "Raye?" Ami asked softly.

            "Hmm?"

            "What's on your mind?" The blue-haired genius inquired, her eyes scanning over the readouts of both Serena and Darien before fixing on Raye's deep violet eyes.

            "I think I've finally placed that sensation.  The auras surrounding them make sense now." She mused.  At Ami's confused look she went on.  "Every time I look at Serena I see her surrounded by a pale silver nimbus and a similar one sometimes lit up around Darien, but you'll never guess what I see when they're together like now.  There's a brilliant golden aura glowing around both …this suggests that they are soul mates and even when they aren't touching, like now," She said, gesturing,  "There's a golden ribbon binding the two."

            "For real?" 

            Raye nodded.  "C'mon, Leets, these two will be fine here.  We should all go to the temple, I'd like to do a Fire Reading."

            "Yeah, sure.  Hey, while we're there, can I bake something to give to these guys?  Serena's stomach may be a bottomless pit, but I know that even she can't live off hospital food for long.  We can call her house from there and tell her family that we're having a slumber party or something." The trio of girls walked out of the room, brainstorming.

            Serena's eyes fluttered and a smile spread over her face.  "I've got to thank my friends, they're way too good for me." She murmured sleepily.  A soft assenting grunt came from the bed at her side and she looked over to see Darien watching her.

            "Soul mates, eh?" He asked lightly.

            Serena's smile brightened.  "I think I could live with that."

            "Me too, princess," Darien replied.  "Me too."

            Serena carefully rose from her bed and slipped in next to Darien.  "I'm cold, muffin," She murmured, nuzzling her nose to Darien's.  "Sleepy …"

            "Goodnight, Serena, sweet dreams," Darien breathed, kissing the corner of her mouth.  Serena however was not about to fall asleep with that however and took his face in her hands, claiming his lips for her own, each one ravishing the other for a goodly time before they parted to breath and Serena flashed Darien a dazzling smile.

            "Now _that is a goodnight kiss," She noted and snuggled closer before joining him in the Land of Nod._


End file.
